This patent application is co-pending with a related patent application entitled xe2x80x9cAssembly For Connecting Together Separated Portions Of A Cable Release Linkxe2x80x9d (Navy Case 77375), filed concurrently herewith, in the names of the inventors herein.
(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to links for interconnecting cables and is directed more particularly to a link for interconnecting the cables and releasing the cables from interconnection upon tension in the cables reaching a preselected release force.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Release couplings are generally known. One known type of coupling includes a release link, a steel pin attached at one end to the release link, and a jaw having a recess into which the other end of the pin normally resides. A first cable is attached to the pin and a second cable is attached to the link. Tension in the cables can exert a force on the pin sufficient to cause the jaw to spread enough to allow the-pin to escape therefrom which, in turn, allows the cables to disengage from one another.
An adjustment sleeve is provided which slides along the jaw to vary the stiffness thereof, and thereby vary the release force required to activate release.
Such mechanisms are calibrated by repeatedly causing release to occur and measuring the force required. The procedure is tedious and time consuming, and has been found to be very sensitive to operator technique. Further, it has been found that release forces can change markedly within hours after calibration. Even with very strict process controls, it has been demonstrated that any given,release link can vary in release force by over 10% on consecutive pulls. Factors which affect the release force include surface finish quality on the pin and/or jaw, grease on an operator""s fingers, and time between releases.
There is a need for a release link which is more reliable and predictable with respect to release force, and which requires less time consuming adjustment procedures.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention, to provide a release link having a predictable and consistent release mechanism and a less time consuming adjustment facility.
With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, a feature of the present invention is the provision of a release link for interconnecting first and second cables, the link comprising a cylinder having an open first end and an aperture through a second end, a collar having a first end, a second end fixed to the cylinder first end, and an annular internal flange, and a guide washer slidably disposed in the collar second end. The link further comprises a piston having a body portion extending through the cylinder aperture, a reduced diameter portion axially extending from the body portion and through the guide washer, a neck portion axially extending from the reduced diameter portion, and a tapered head portion. axially extending from the neck portion, the head portion being disposed at the first end of the piston and in the collar. A cap is connected to the collar first end. Balls are adapted to be disposed in the piston neck portion radially adjacent the collar internal flange. A spring is disposed in the cylinder biasing the guide washer toward the balls. A first connector is on the cap and is for attachment to the first cable, and a second connector is on a second end of the piston for attachment to the second cable. When tension on the cables exceeds the bias of the spring, the tension is operative to move the guide washer and the piston, to move the balls from radial adjacency to the collar internal flange, to permit the piston to disengage from the cylinder.
The above and other features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular device embodying the invention is shown by way of illustration only and not as a limitation of the invention. The principles and features of this invention may be employed in various and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.